joewein.de LLC fighting spam and scams on the Internet

Try our spam filter! Free trial for 30 days

"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

• About the 419 (Advance Fee) scam
• "Is that email a scam?" - Check it online here!
  
• Frequently asked Questions (419 FAQ)
• Phone numbers used by 419 scammers
  (+225 +229 +234 +27 +31 +32 +34 +44 other)
• Company names mentioned in 419 spam:
  1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
• Support our efforts to stop scams!
  
• How to report 419 spam to us
• What can you do when you receive 419 spam
  
  
• Spam archive, Daily index
  

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

• The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
  • "dear sir/madam" (a standard Nigerian greeting phrase)
  • "hundred thousand united states dollars" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
  • "waiting for your urgent response" (they are rushing you so you don't have time to think properly)
  • "there is no risk involved" (almost true for the criminal - arrests of online criminals are rare)
  • "lagos" (a location commonly mentioned in 419 scams)
• This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: probinson@fsmail.net
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 18:47:01 +0000
Subject: RE;ASSISTANCE

CHARTERED BANK
APAPA BRANCH,
LAGOS NIGERIA.
20-03-2006

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am making this contact with you in good faith. I got your mail
address from the Foreign Department in our Ministry of Foreign
Affairs Office. I am working with the CHARTERED BANK Plc,
Apapa Branch Lagos.My purpose of writing you is to ask for your assistance
to provide a virgin bank account where we can successfully transfer the
sum of $10.5million (ten million five hundred thousand united states dollars).

For your information, there is one America business merchant based here
in Nigeria and his name is Mr.jones Marion, He was the owner of (
Marion fisheries Nig. Ltd,) located at No.125 industrial zone,Oshodi
expressway, Isolo here in Lagos now have been taken over by Government of
Nigeria because nobody came for this company after the death of Mr. jones
Marion.This man died in a plane crash in 2001 together with his wife
here in Nigeria. He was banking with my bank and I am his accounting
officer.

However, since the death of Mr. jones Marion, the CHARTERED BANK PLC.
Where the deceased had an account Valued at($10.5 million U.S Dollars)
has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin Or have the account
confiscated within the next ten official working days.I have been trying
to contact any of his relative and i decided to trace his last name
over the Internet, to locate any member with the same last name hence
I contacted you.I later remembered that Mr.jones Marion came to my country
out of shame he was receiving from his country because he was impotent.

This secret he revealed to me when he was alive because I pestered him
to introduce his children to me. Now I have decided to link anybody to
stand as Mr.jones Marion next of kin in order to claim the money he
deposited here as Fixed Solid Investment since nobody knew about it.
Government of my country will pay it to Federal Reserve purse if I should
declare to them that he has no body to come as next of kin. Note that
there is no risk involved in this transaction, as I will give you all
information you may need about Mr. jones Marion. and his banking
relationship with my branch to enable you stand as his next of kin to receive this
money in your account
The following websites could be referenced:
http://www.usafricaonline.com/ngrkanocrash.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1968616.stm

This transaction will go through normal banking process only that you
have to stand firm as the next of kin to Mr.jones Marion just to claim
this money. I will direct you on how to apply for the claims of this
money.Please if you are interested and capable to carry out this deal with
me, Reply me or call my partner Mr PAUL ROBINSON who works with the
BARCLAYS BANK LONDON ON TELEPHONE +44-778-902-0901, I will require the
following information from you for procession of the fund in your favour.

1. Your private phone and fax number for further clarification. 2.
Your home address. I personally need your home address because I do not
know you too well before now only that I decided to work with you on
trust believing God that you will not cheat on me.Note that we can conclude
this transaction within 2 weeks upon your compliance in applying for
the claims to our Head Office, as I will direct you.

I will give you $2.5million after we conclude this transaction. Be
duly informed that I will be resigning from this banking work to come over
to your country after the transfer of this fund to your account. I will
then engage myself in international business since I will have enough
money for any kind of business after this transaction. You need not to
be afraid because in as much as I would want my reputation protected, I
would also want yours to also be protected.

waiting for your urgent response.
Best regards,
Mr Felix Mamoud

Anti-fraud resources:

• What can you do when you receive 419 spam